


A Bet is Just Another Kind of Promise

by BasicallyAnIdiot



Series: HCS Week 2020 [2]
Category: Pocket Monsters: Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire | Pokemon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire Versions, Pocket Monsters: Ruby & Sapphire & Emerald | Pokemon Ruby Sapphire Emerald Versions
Genre: Arm Wrestling, Bets should not be made while drunk, Day 2, Established Relationship, F/M, HCS Week 2020, SameAge!AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-28
Updated: 2020-01-28
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:54:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22322902
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BasicallyAnIdiot/pseuds/BasicallyAnIdiot
Summary: May probably should have thought the matter over a bit more.
Relationships: Haruka | May/Tsuwabuki Daigo | Steven Stone
Series: HCS Week 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1606432
Comments: 6
Kudos: 60





	A Bet is Just Another Kind of Promise

**Author's Note:**

> For Day 2 of Shikisai's HoennChampionShip Week 2020 on tumblr. Prompt was Promise/ ~~Steampunk AU~~
> 
> Here we go!

**A Bet is Just Another Kind of Promise**

If she pretended everything was fine, maybe no one would notice. 

… Right. Because that worked so well before. 

May eyed herself in the mirror one last time and sighed. She just had to get through one day. It was fine. She’d never touch tequila again. Or agree to any stupid bets while drinking. Actually, no more drinking. For at least a week. 

How the hell Steven knew her size so well was anyone’s guess, but the 3-piece suit had been tailored perfectly. Black silk framed her torso tight, flaring out slightly at her hips. The lapel and vest were a dark blue, like one of those cornflower sapphires Steven showed her from his personal collection. Mercifully, the cuffs were fabric, not metal. Whatever sympathy he had to her situation must have died when it hit the pants though because they were just shy of skin-tight. She wouldn’t even talk about the heels either.

Gods, what a circus outfit. Curse her pride but if _she_ had been the one to win-

Whatever. She’d get him next time. 

One day. She just to survive one day. 

~*~*~*~

Sidney, predictably, lost it when he saw May. All hopes of just hiding in her office for the day died swiftly as the Elite’s gasped exclamations drew the attention of the rest of the Elites. “What the hell are you _wearing?_ ” 

Ignoring him was probably out. Ditto to pushing past him to her office. Options were limited. She kept her expression carefully cheerful. “Clothes, Sidney. I’m wearing clothes.” 

“Sidney! Why are you- _woah._ ” Phoebe whistled sharply as she stuck her head out of her office, eyes wide. “Looking good, May!” 

“Thanks, Phoebe.” She shifted on the heels, dropping her messenger bag on the floor beside her, grabbing Blaziken’s Pokeball as she did. Idly she tossed it up and down one-handed, “Sidney, are you going to move or do I need to help you?”

Sidney threw both of his hands up in surrender, light flickering off his watch as he stepped back to stand against the wall. “Nope. I’m good.”

Phoebe snickered behind her hand, eyes bright with laughter. “What’s the occasion, Champion? Need to dazzle some politicians? Off to save a princess? Prince?”

May gritted her teeth behind her smile, “Date night.” 

Phoebe’s eyebrows just about disappeared into her hairline. Her grin turned sly, “Suits, eh? Kinky.” 

Heat rose to May’s cheeks, heating her face through. She coughed and pushed forward to her office. She couldn’t fire the Elites, their jobs were far more permanent than her own, but days like today made her really wish she could. 

~*~*~*~

“ _You got into a arm-wrestling contest with Steven?”_ Brendan laughed, staticky through the connection. The wide leaves and bright greens behind him suggested he was somewhere near Fortree. _“May. Come on. The guy carries Aron around like they’re accessories.”_

She did know that. But at the time, 4 shots in with everything starting to taste of victory, her brain did not make the connection. Then Steven said yes. But what was a contest without a prize? She wanted to see him in something other than a suit. And he wanted to see her in one. 

May coughed, heat flooding back to her cheeks. “Yeah, well. There may have been some drinking involved.” 

_“Some drinking involved- ha! You completely forgot Aron weigh, like, 60 kg didn’t you?”_

If she had, May wasn’t about to admit it. It wasn’t even a contest. Steven had rolled back his sleeves, revealing toned arms that would make an athlete jealous, muscles flexing with each movement. Her brain shut down for a couple seconds, whether from the sudden realization of how foolhardy the endeavour was or the sight of perfection, and when it came back online her shoulder hurt and the bet had been lost. 

But Brendan didn’t need to know that. “Why are you even calling me?” 

_“Wallace called. Said Phoebe called him and told him you were in a suit and I just had to confirm this rumour.”_ Brendan laughed again, running a finger against the bottom of his nose. _“But seriously. You look great.”_

“Thanks.” May glanced at the papers on her desk. “I got work to do, so unless you have something else to add, I’m going to hang-up.”

 _“Hold on- I do have another reason for calling.”_ The smile faded, _“The rangers need some back-up. Someone is poaching all the Tropius on Route 119. They think they found where the Tropius are being held, but need some… how should I say it, fire power. Just in case.”_

May gently pushed the papers on her desk out of sight. She had her full team on hand, and Latias could fly faster than most Pokemon. There was time to go and be back for her date. “I’m in. See you in Fortree in an hour.” 

~*~*~*~

She made it back to the league headquarters six hours later, soaked to the bone. The poachers had been small fry and most gave up the moment they realized who exactly the Rangers had brought with them. One of them tried to push her luck and got an up-close and personal encounter with Aggron’s Hyper-beam. 

Otherwise, it had been clean from start to finish. Until the rain happened. Because Mt. Chimney did funky things to Route 119 and 120, creating microclimates or whatever the heck Brendan was on about. Then Latias had to fly through it to make it back to the League in time. Double the soaking. 

May sneezed, shivering slightly as she trudged her way to the entrance. The glass doors slid open as she stepped inside, trailing water as she did. 

To his credit, Steven did not gape when he saw her, flawless in his suit as always. His smile faded as he hung-up his phone and strode over. Quietly, a hand raised as if to search for injuries, “May- are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” She sniffled, fighting the urge to sneeze again, “Went to the 119. There were poachers. Less poachers now. Lots of rain though.” 

The corner of Steven’s lips twitched. “I’m sure you gave them hell.” 

May coughed, “Scared the shit out of ‘em.” She felt cold, the shivering increased in intensity even as she rubbed her arms, “Listen about tonight, I know I promised to wear a suit to supper-”

“It’s fine. I’ll move the reservation. I’ll just have to show you off another time.” Steven smiled wryly, “What if we head to Mossdeep, and get you into a hot bath?”

Oh, that sounded lovely. She narrowed her eyes a hair, “Can we watch a movie after?”

“Of course.”

“With popcorn?”

“Is there any other way to watch a movie? I’ll handle supper.”

“You don’t know how to cook.” 

“No, but I’m very good at ordering in.” He leaned in close, rubbing her arms as his forehead rested against her’s, “Let me take care of you tonight, May.”

“Okay.” She sneezed, groaning softly. Another jacket landed on her, warm on top of the wet. May blinked as the jacket was pulled tight around her. “Oh- don’t. I’ll ruin it-” 

A kiss on her forehead stopped her in her tracks. “It’s fine. Dry-cleaning exists for a reason. We can do the same for your’s.” Without the jacket on, it was easier to see his trim hips and defined shoulders. Broad didn’t quite do them justice, but against the dark purple of his vest and the white of the undershirt the lean whipcord muscles were easy to see. Aron accessories all right. 

He guided her out of the building, calling out Skarmory when they cleared the League entrance. When May was settled, legs on either side of Skarmory, Steven hopped on and framed her body with his own. 

“I forgot to mention,” Steven mused quietly into her ear, slow and careful, his arms reaching around to grip Skarmory’s collar as the Pokemon prepared to take off, “You look lovely in the suit.” Then, because he knew most if not all of her buttons, he kissed her neck.

May flushed, and muttered back. “Keep that up and I’ll ask you to join in the bath.” 

“Only if you ask nicely.” He paused, and leaned in close again, “And if you are adamant about keeping your promise tonight, I’m sure we can find you another suit. Hold on.” 

~*~*~*~

They watched a movie, and May did keep her promise to wear a suit for the day, courtesy of Steven’s extensive and fancy wardrobe. 

Well. Most of a suit. After some negotiation they concluded jackets counted after all. 

But just the jacket. 

**Author's Note:**

> Come say 'hi' on[ Tumblr!](https://basicallyanidiot.tumblr.com/)


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